Put simply Cicata is "one of the things I have put my heart, passion and effort into for the past several years" Rihito

Tuesday's Rain

An indistinct summer day. Overnight the skies have turned to ash, proclaiming their gentle misfortune with occasional cries from above. Only a boy named crow reminds me I'm in Tokyo, not London, as he excitedly searches for his winged companions in a game of hide and seek.

From my room on the sixth floor, I imagine Tuesday's rain has left the beaten streets below with the soft glow of something fresh and vibrant. Yet this glow is all too fleeting. Trodden and trampled, eventually it will be absorbed into the ways of the old and nondescript, and the clean glimmer granted briefly by the rains will soon be forgotten.

All is not lost however, as Rihito - Tokyo born mastermind behind Cicata, sets about to prove. His clothes just may paint the generic streets of the fashion world at least, with the fragile hue of fresh perspective.

Model meets Designer

Born in 1976, Rihito's knowledge of fashion and fabrics stems not from a background of fine art or design but from a career of wearing clothes.

Following a magazine shoot with influential stylist and global trendsetter Tomoki Sukezane in 1996, Rihito could be seen in nearly all major fashion magazines in Japan and later, he stepped through the international looking glass as he walked down the runway for the likes of Gucci, Versace and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

But it was his time with Jil Sander where Rihito truly felt the rains of inspiration. Here he was able to witness clearly the seamless union of individual ideas, so essential to the method of creation.

With the seeds of ambition growing and a personal phone book resembling the brand directory from an issue of Italian Vogue, Rihito believes it was only natural for him to make the move from model to fashion designer. However, he still lacked the technical expertise needed to sew his vision into the wardrobes of reality. Schooled in this, together with actualising patterns that appeal to Japanese sensibilities whilst remaining faithful to the European roots of menswear, Cicata was born in 2000.

Clean, Beautiful, Sophisticated Things

Above all Rihito believes in "clean, beautiful, sophisticated things" and the new collection from Cicata is arguably a pure reflection of this belief. In a country where it seems like trends shift with the wind, Rihito offers us clothes of understated and striking quality, made from luxurious fabrics with a touch of personal charm - producing pieces sophisticated enough to withstand any change in weather.

writing/editor Ashantha G

Special thanks to Rihito and all those at Cicata.